Schwalbe to launch new Aerothan tubes

Schwalbe is set to launch the new generation of Aerothan tubes featuring additional stability and improved handling, which are also manufactured from recycled materials.

Equipped with an aluminium valve stem with an external thread (previous editions used a plastic valve stem) the new Aerothan tubes are lightweight, have low rolling resistance and a high level of robustness. It is compatible with the Schwalbe Clik Valve, all pumps, the Schwalbe Airmax Smart Bike Sensor and the Bosch Speed Sensor.

The new Aerothan tubes are produced at Schwalbe‘s headquarters in Reichshof, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. The company offers 39 variants, covering a wide range of sizes from small to large.

The new Aerothan tube will be available for shops by the end of 2025.

Aside from its functionality, the majority of the new Aerothan tubes are made from recycled used tyres; as Schwalbe said, the proportion of ‘circular’ recycled materials in Aerothan tubes is 91%.

Schwalbe sources thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) material for its Aerothan tubes from BASF’s ChemCycling® project, which focuses on producing high-quality products through chemical recycling of plastic waste on an industrial scale.

As part of this initiative, BASF uses pyrolysis oil derived from Schwalbe’s tyre recycling efforts. The oil, produced by Pyrum Innovations AG from used tyres, is directly fed into BASF’s production process, replacing fossil raw materials in the manufacture of TPU.

Through a certified mass balance procedure, the recycled content is attributed to the resulting Ccycled® TPU plastic. This certification confirms that the fossil resources normally required for producing Aerothan tubes have been replaced with pyrolysis oil, supporting a more sustainable production cycle.

Moreover, the Schwalbe Recycling System, developed in partnership with Pyrum Innovations AG in Saarland, plays a key role in promoting the sustainable recycling of used tyres. Through an advanced closed-loop process, three valuable raw materials are recovered, including pyrolysis gas, which is converted into electricity on-site, with the resulting process heat also utilised to support operations, ensuring energy-efficient plant performance.

Second, pyrolysis oil is supplied to BASF, where it replaces fossil raw materials in the production of TPU for Schwalbe’s Aerothan tubes, as part of BASF’s ChemCycling® initiative.

Third, recovered carbon black (rCB) is used in place of fossil-based carbon black in the manufacture of new Schwalbe products — with over 70% of Schwalbe tyres now incorporating rCB, underscoring the brand’s commitment to circular sustainability.

Previously, Schwalbe said that 70% of its tyres would be made with recycled carbon black (rcB).

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